Coast Christians Make Pilgrimage to Italy

This week the State Department issued warnings of possible Easter terrorist attacks against Americans in major Italian cities. But that doesn't sway the resolve of the parishoners of St. Thomas Catholic Church.

Tuesday sixty-three St. Thomas parishoners will leave Long Beach and head to Italy for a ten day spiritual journey with visits to the Vatican and other religious sites. Last year, many in this same group went to Israel. They flew out just two days after the U.S.S. Cole was attacked, but they say that trip was wonderful and expect this one to be the same.

For Christians, Irael is the Holy Land because it is where Christ became man. Rome is where Peter built his church. It is the place where Catholicism began.